Love After the Curse
by mcangel1976
Summary: The curse is broken and Tohru is back in town. Old feelings start to stir up again and new feelings are found. Can the rice ball and dragon find love together? Please R
1. An Old Friend

Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket or any of the characters.

Chapter 1 – An Old Friend

"Tohru? Tohru Honda?" Tohru looked around for the person calling her name. The voice sounded familiar, but until she saw the face she wasn't sure who it was.

"Hatori! It is so good to see you!" She smiled when her eyes fell upon the doctor of the Sohma family.

"What are you doing here? I didn't know you were back? Where is Kyo?" Hatori was smiling too. He had not seen her in almost three years. She was sorely missed by all of the Sohmas, but he knew that she needed to be with Kyo when they left to start a new life for themselves now that the curse was broken.

"Grocery shopping of course, what else do you do at a market?" She laughed and winked at him. "I have been back about a month. I thought Shigure would have told you since I am staying in his old house. He said since no one was there right now, I could stay there and not be bothered. I was wondering why I had almost no visitors. Of course with your hand on the pulse, I would have thought you would have been one of the first to know. As for Kyo, he is in America." She was still smiling, but it faltered a slight bit. He wondered why that was.

"No, he didn't tell me, but I have been very busy with my practice. I have also started volunteering a couple of nights a week at a free clinic. Akito is doing better and doesn't need as much of my time as she once did. I may have to pay a visit to that dog and have a few words," he said as he chuckled. "So why are you here and Kyo there?"

"Oh you really are out of the loop. We broke up. I didn't want to leave Japan and we had grown apart. I couldn't find it in myself to follow him. Don't get me wrong, a part of me will always love him, but it wasn't meant to be. We broke up about seven months ago. I got back here a month ago and started work at my old job again." She was still smiling and as genuinely enjoying talking to Hatori. She had missed them all, but also needed time to herself before she was bombarded at the house. She still figured she would have a couple of visitors. Other than Yuki, Shigure, and Akito, no one has stopped by. She now knew why and she was ok with that, but now seeing Hatori, she longed for the company of her treasured friends. She was going to have to throw a dinner party so that she could see them all again.

Hatori did not want the conversation to end, looked at his watch. It was just about lunch time, "Do you have time for lunch? I took the afternoon off and was going to try a new restaurant. My treat."

"Ok, I can do that. I will do my shopping afterwards then," She smiled and they walked along the side walk together.

The restaurant was only about a block away from the market and according to Hatori had gotten a lot of good reviews. Several of the other family members had already tried it and fell in love with it, so he had wanted to try it for weeks. Today was the first day he was able to take enough of a break to do that though and he was happy that he ran into Tohru so that she could join him.

They sat down and the waiter took their drink order. There was easiness in the atmosphere around them, but then that feeling followed where ever Tohru was, Hatori mused. He always liked the young rice ball, turned beautiful young woman. She went through a lot to be with Kyo and to break the curse for the family. They would all forever be in her debt. Kyo settled down and knew he could be his own person without people judging him for being the cat. Yuki discovered who he really was and opened up. Momiji grew up and left many of his childish ways behind under her care. Even Akito became a different person. Tohru was a God send for the family and himself.

"How is everything with Mayuko-sensei?" Tohru asked about her old homeroom teacher. She and Hatori had started dating around the time she had graduated from school.

"Last I heard she was doing great and got engaged. It didn't work out for us, but she was a great friend and I was glad we had our time. Thankful that it didn't end abruptly like it had with Kana," he smiled. He had meant it. He was grateful for the time he had with both of the women in his life, but neither was meant to be and he had come to terms with that. In fact, he was ok with it.

"Oh, I am so sorry. I know how much you cared about her." Tohru said sadly for the doctor.

Hatori smiled. She always cared and was concerned about everyone around her. She thought of others before herself, "Don't be sorry. I am alright with it. It took me a long time to come to terms about Kana, but I eventually did, with your help," He smiled at her. "As for Mayuko, our season was over with and we ended on good terms as friends. She went on to travel a lot where she met her fiancé and that is the reason we don't keep in touch much. Sometimes relationships are like seasons, they are only there for a short period of time, but sometimes they change into something else."

The waiter came up to take their food orders and after he had left again, they continued to talk, "What happened to you and Kyo?" He was curious. When last he saw them, they were very much in love and were talking about maybe getting married someday. He had been expecting word of their engagement for a while. Then when he heard about Yuki and Machi's engagement, he wondered about Kyo and Tohru.

"Like you said, sometimes people are only with you for a season. We both grew up and changed. We realized that although we loved each other, we didn't love each other to stay forever and get married. And we were ok with that. We still talk at least once a month. He is working in a dojo in New York and is very happy. It was sad in the beginning that it didn't work out. We both tried long after we knew it was over, but in the end there wasn't heartbreak." She said with a genuine and honest smile.

"Good, I am glad to hear that. You deserve happiness and the last thing you need is heartbreak. Everything you went through and did, you deserve all of your dreams to come true," Hatori said with a small blush. Tohru gave him her biggest smile and told him thank you, she thought so too. Then they both laughed and continued to catch up through lunch. Lunch lasted two hours because they kept talking and just enjoying the company of each other.

Hatori walked her back to the market so that she could do her shopping and was about to leave her when she put her hand on his sleeve. He looked down at her and into her blue eyes, "Yes?"

"What are you doing for dinner tomorrow night?"

"I don't think I am doing anything since tonight is my night at the free clinic."

"Good, you are coming over to the house for dinner. I will not take no for an answer. I will probably go ahead and invite Shigure and Yuki also." She was smiling up at him and he couldn't tell her know even if he had wanted to.

"Ok, I will be there. Is it still the usual time?" He asked. She ran her schedule like clockwork and always had. He had missed her home cooked meals. They were always so good.

"Yep, I will see you then." She gave him one last smile and wave and walked into the store to complete her shopping.

Hatori was thinking about how much she had changed. She had grown into a beautiful woman, but she had also come into her own. She wasn't as soft spoken and easily frightened. She knew who she was now and it showed. Old feelings started to stir in him. He knew what they were, ever since Tohru first came to the main Sohma estate and answered his riddle; she had awoken things in him that he thought were dead. The more that he got to know her, the more he cared and the more alive he felt. He knew that she was destined to be with Kyo. He knew that they loved each other, but that didn't stop the feelings from forming. He moved on with Mayuko and he was happy with her while they were together, but he always had a feeling that she could not replace Tohru in his heart. He knew that he didn't want her to. Kana was his first real love, but she was not strong enough to survive this family. He erased her memories and she lived happily without him. She was married and had two kids now. Tohru was so different and yet so much like her. He felt things for her that even the love he felt for Kana didn't come close to. When he realized all of his feelings long ago, he realized why he and Kana could not be together. He would never tell Tohru his feelings. He didn't think she felt the same, but he also knew that if she showed even the slightest interest, he would do everything thing he could to love her the way she deserved to be loved.

The rest of the day he was in the best mood that he had been in in a long time. Before leaving for the clinic, he stopped off at Shigure and Akito's house. Shigure was outside smoking a cigarette and when he saw Hatori with a smile on his face, he had to pounce and find out what the dragon was so happy about, "Hari what brings you by and why do you look like you are on cloud nine? Did you find a new maiden? Did you do dirty things to her? Oh Hari, did you find a high school girl?"

Hatori knew that he was joking, but sometimes he couldn't get past his perverted ways and he has known him since they were kids, "Actually, I have something to discuss with you dog. I ran into Tohru today and had an excellent lunch with her. I found out that she has been back for a month. I also found out that she and Kyo broke up about 7 months ago. Interesting isn't it? I also found out that she is staying in your old house and you have seen her since she has been back. Why didn't I know about any of this?"

Shigure had the decency to look ashamed, "Well you see, she said she needed a little time to settle in and everything. As for the Kyo thing, I thought you knew." He knew that Hatori hadn't known about Kyo, but he felt like he was in it deep enough and didn't want to antagonize him some more. He also knew how Hatori felt about Tohru. He has known for a long time and wasn't sure what his friend would have done. He never told anyone about his feelings for the young woman, but Shigure was one of his oldest and closest friends, so he could see it. Shigure could see it every time he came over or when her name was mentioned. He knew Hatori was happy for her, but he wanted to see if he could move on without her. When he started to date Mayuko, he thought that he had moved on, but that didn't last and Hatori had yet to start dating again. He knew where his heart lay.

"I see. Do you really expect me to believe all of that?" Hatori knew that the dog had something else behind his reasoning, but he wasn't sure what it was.

"Hari, you wound me with your words. I would never lie to you. You are one of my oldest and dearest friends."

"Fine. How is Akito?" He asked changing the subject. He didn't want to hear more whining.

"She is wonderful. We actually just got back from a little walk in the gardens when you came over."

"Good, I will check on her tomorrow. I am on my way to the clinic, so I will see you later." Hatori started to walk off before stopping a few steps away, "By the way, I will see you at dinner tomorrow at Tohru's house."

"What? Dinner? I don't know anything about that." Shigure was confused.

"After lunch she invited me over for dinner tomorrow night and said she would call you and Yuki over also. I am sure significant others are invited as well." Hatori continued his walk and got into his car so that he could drive over to the clinic.

As Hatori was walking off, he went inside and checked on Akito. She was sleeping so Shigure went into his study and called Tohru.

"Hello, Sohma residence." Tohru said as she picked up the phone.

"You know, there aren't any Sohmas that live there right now, so it would actually be Honda residence." Shigure teased.

"Shigure how is everything? I was just about to call you. I was wondering if you and Akito wanted to come over for dinner tomorrow night. I have invited Yuki/Machi and Hatori." The way she said the last name made him wonder what the rice ball's feelings were for the dragon.

"Yes, that will be wonderful. Should we bring anything?" He asked knowing that she would not want them to go to any trouble.

"No, no. Please just bring yourselves." She insisted.

"Ok then, we will see you tomorrow night for dinner." He hung up the phone and started to think about the two people that meant so much to him. He knew Hatori's feelings for Tohru, but he didn't know hers. In fact, he didn't know if she did have feelings for Hari, but if anyone deserved love it was those two.


	2. Dinner with Friends

Please read and review...

Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket or the characters, but I do love them.

Chapter 2 – Dinner With Friends

Dinner was always at 7pm when Tohru was cooking. Hatori knew this and decided to go over to the house early in order to help her out. Secretly he was hoping to spend a little extra time with her. He got there at 530pm and knocked on the door. She answered looking a little frazzled, "Hatori! What are you doing here already?"

"I'm sorry. I thought I could come over early and help you with dinner. Is everything ok?" He looked her up and down. She seemed a little stressed, but ok physically.

"Oh, um yes. Sorry. I had just gotten off of the phone with Uo and then decided to run the vacuum really quickly when it decided to break. When I tried to figure out what was wrong, the canister decided to empty itself all over me and the living room," She grumbled opening the door wider and allowing him to enter the house.

"How about, I handle the vacuum and the mess while you go wash up and change. By the time you are done, everything will be cleaned up and we can start on dinner," He smiled to her. He wanted to do anything that would help her and put a smile on her face.

"Oh I couldn't ask you to do that. You are the guest after all."

"I insist. So go wash up and let me see what is going on in the living room. Ok?" She smiled at his insistence and ran upstairs so that she could take her bath and get ready for the night ahead. Hatori walked into the living room and laughed. She was right, the canister decided to empty itself everywhere. He bent down and looked at the vacuum. The canister had to been closed tight and there was a string from somewhere that had wrapped around the brush. He fixed everything and it seemed that it was once again working properly. He was able to fix the machine and clean up the mess before Tohru came back down stairs.

When she came back down the stairs, Hatori was sitting at the dining room table with a cup of tea in front of him and a second one waiting for her. He looked up when he heard steps on the stairs and held his breath. She looked more beautiful than he had ever seen her before. She came into the dining room and looked from the tea to him, smiling. "Thank you Hatori!"

"You're welcome Tohru. I was able to get everything righted in the living room also. The only thing we need to do is get dinner fixed before your guests arrive," Hatori answered back with his own smile.

"Well, I don't need help cooking, but if you would like, you can come into the kitchen and talk to me to keep me company."

"Ok, I will do that then. I know better than to argue with you when it comes to cooking and cleaning," He laughed as he got up from his place on the floor. She started laughing too.

They walked into the kitchen and Hatori sat down on one of the chairs that were at a table in there. He watched her pull out all of the things she would need for dinner and thought to himself, _"I would love to come home every night and do this with her."_ He wasn't surprised by his thoughts. He had had them before when he would come over for dinner before she and Kyo left.

He was pulled out of his thoughts to Tohru talking to him, "Hatori, I'm sorry I didn't stay in touch better. I really missed you. Well everyone really." She sounded guilty for some reason.

"It's ok. We were both bad about staying in touch," He gave a small reassuring smile. "I am just glad you were/are happy and that you are back now."

"Me too!" She giggled, "The Sohmas were more like family to me than friends. Even with all of the drama that surrounded us." She started to laugh. It was a good thing when you can look back on everything bad that happened to her with this family and laugh. For although there were a lot of bad times, there were so many more good times and fond memories that eclipsed those.

Hatori was once again amazed by her and laughed with her. She truly was someone special and he was thankful to her for being a part of his life and his family's life. He is not sure what they did to deserve her, but he was grateful.

They continued to talk with each other while she prepared dinner. After a while, there was a knock at the door and Hatori got up to open it. "Hari, you're already here. Now where is my lovely flower?" Shigure asked as he pushed his way past him and into the house. Hatori just rolled his eyes and laughed, "She is in the kitchen cooking." Some things never changed. Akito came in next and she was also laughing at Shigure. She knew how he was and she was silently agreeing with Hatori's thoughts.

As he closed the door and was about to turn and make his way back into the kitchen, there was another knock. He opened it up to see Yuki and Machi. He smiled and opened the door for them to enter. Yuki just gave him a funny look. Hatori raised his eye brown in question to the younger man. "I didn't know you were going to be here Hatori," Yuki said in answer to the unspoken question.

"Yes, Tohru invited me yesterday after we had lunch," Hatori responded. Yuki looked surprised. Hatori guessed that Tohru had not told him about their run in and lunch.

He made his way back into the kitchen where Tohru had made some tea for everyone. He told her that everyone she mentioned yesterday had arrived and asked if anyone else was supposed to be coming over. She said Momiji and his new girlfriend might come, but she wasn't sure. He took the tea tray from her (while she protested) and walked into the dining room to give everyone the tea. As if on cue there was a final knock at the door, and when it was opened by Shigure, Momiji bounded in. "I thought you were bringing your girlfriend Momiji." Hatori asked when he looked up and saw the former rabbit run into the room. "Nope, she was busy tonight studying. She has an exam tomorrow so she couldn't come." He looked antsy to everyone's eyes and they all knew what he wanted. "She is in the kitchen," Akito said putting the rabbit out of his misery. Momiji disappeared before she could finish the sentence which made everyone in the room laugh. They all knew that this is what Tohru did, she brought everyone together and everyone loved her for it.

A few minutes later, Momiji and Tohru brought out the food that had been cooked for tonight. Everyone groaned at how good it smelled. It had been a while since they had had a full meal together, and a meal that Tohru had cooked herself. They were in heaven.

Dinner was spent talking and catching up with everyone. Although Tohru had seen Akito, Shigure, and Yuki since she had been back, she had not spent time with the others (well outside of yesterday with Hatori). She loved being surrounded by the Sohmas again and didn't want it to end. She decided she may have to do this as a weekly event going forward and invite different people each week. She also decided that she needed to plan a dinner and invite all of the Sohmas over. She was ready to see them all.

Throughout the night Shigure watched as Hatori's eyes drifted over to Tohru time and time again. This did not surprise him since he knew how he felt about the young woman. What he was surprised about is that Tohru would allow her eyes to drift over to Hatori. When she seemed to realize what she was doing, she would look elsewhere. _"Interesting indeed,"_ were the dog's thoughts on the matter. He wondered if there was something there on both sides. He would have to watch them more and decide later if he needed to interfere.

Momiji was the first to leave since he had class in the morning at the local college. He wasn't going to skip tonight though. He had missed Tohru these past years. Although they kept in touch, it wasn't the same as her being there. She was his best friend.

Shortly after he left, Akito/Shigure and Yuki/Machi all decided it was time for them to leave also. Hatori wanted to stay and used the pretense of helping her clean up from dinner as his excuse. No one seemed surprised by this except Tohru, "Oh you don't have to do that Hatori. I can clean this up myself."

"Not at all, I don't have to be at the clinic until tomorrow afternoon and I don't mind helping. This way it is done faster and you can relax sooner." She agreed to this and after seeing her other guests off; they carried all of the dishes into the kitchen.

"Before I left, you worked long hours at your clinic. Now you are slacking off?" Tohru joked with him.

He laughed at that, "Not at all but when Mayuko and I dated, I made sure that I allowed some time in my schedule to contribute to my relationship. Since Akito wasn't as sick any longer (she has gotten a lot better since the curse was broken), I found it easy to manipulate my schedule more. I was so used to it, that after we broke up, I couldn't go back to my old routine. I still work 7 days a week, just not 16 hour days any longer." He was smiling when he said all of this.

"Good! You were so busy and stressed before. I worried about you. You are a great doctor, but you didn't follow your own advice much," She teased. Hatori could only think that she was right about that. They were both laughing when she asked, "So does this mean you will not get mad at the little things any longer?"

He shook his head no and said, "While I still like order and peace, I like to think that I am a little more laid back than I was before."

After he said that, Tohru sprayed him with the water hose connected to the sink. The fight was on.


	3. War Is DeclaredA Flood

Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket or the characters, but not going to happen in this lifetime. LOL

Chapter 3 – War is Declared, A Flood Brings A Couple Together

Tohru shot Hatori with the hose and drenched him. She felt safe because she had control of the hose and was keeping it a safe distance away from him, or so she thought. Tonight revenge was not going to be a dish served cold.

Hatori filled a cup of soapy water from the sink and flung it at Tohru. This surprised her a bit and he was able to get closer to her. Having longer arms and being stronger, he was able to wrestle the hose away from her and start shooting her with it. She couldn't get much wetter though since during the wrestling match, they both got hit with the water as it was constantly spraying. When he got the hose, she decided to try his trick and threw water at him from the sink. It didn't work. He was expecting it and therefore was not taken off guard when it hit him. She did the only thing available to her. She continued to throw water at him. Both were laughing and having a good time. When they stopped a few minutes later, they looked at each other and then looked at the kitchen. They looked like drowned rats (no offense Yuki) and the kitchen looked like a flood took place and not all of the waters had receded. Upon seeing all of this, they broke into a fit of hysterically giggling.

Tohru went to step forward so that she could grab the mop and a towel, and slipped. Hatori tried to grab her so that she wouldn't fall and wound up on the ground with her on his chest. They were both laughing still until they locked eyes. The laughing subsided and both were blushing a furious shade of red, but neither made a move to get up from the position they were in. Hatori reached up and moved a piece of hair away from her lips and in the process brushed his fingers over those same lips. He was captivated. He started moving his head off of the ground and towards her lips. She watched him from hooded eyes and found herself moving forward by an unseen force. Their lips brushed, testing the waters before applying pressure for a real kiss. Both made a move to deepen the kiss and a new wrestling match happened between the two, but this time it involved their mouths and tongues.

Tohru was surprised by this turn of events. She didn't think that a water fight would end up here. She wasn't complaining though. Electricity was sparking between her and the former dragon of the zodiac. She didn't want it to end. She felt more in this one kiss than she had ever felt in all of the kisses she received from Kyo. She always had a crush on Hatori, but never thought anything would happen. When she saw him at the market yesterday, she was excited and happy. Out of all of the Sohmas, she had missed him the most and longed for his company during the lonely nights.

Hatori didn't think this would happen when he retaliated, but he is happy that it did. He had wanted to kiss her for a long time and he got his fondest wish. This kiss felt so right, more right than any other kiss before and he didn't want it to end. He loved her and he wanted to be able to court her, but didn't think he would have the chance so quickly. He thought that with the time apart, it would take time for her to warm up to everyone again and therefore, it would take time before she would be open to a relationship with anybody. He had felt like a part of him was missing while she was away and that missing piece was back.

They finally pulled away and looked into each other's eyes. The same look of longing and love were mirrored between the two. He brushed his thumb over her lips and then held her cheek. Tohru leaned into his touch not wanting the moment to end. Somewhere in the background, they could hear the phone start to ring and they both groaned at the timing of some people. Tohru smiled and got off of Hatori so that she could answer it. She carefully walked out of the kitchen and picked up the receiver. Hatori was laughing at her less than graceful exit and got up off of the floor himself. He was soaked, and for that matter so was she. It was probably best if they put on some dry clothes before they caught cold. They also needed to clean up the water from the kitchen.

Just as he had grabbed the mop to start getting some of the water up off of the floor, Tohru came back in and laughed at him. "What is so funny?" He asked while lifting an eye brown. He could imagine how he looked right now and she didn't look much better, but she was still beautiful.

"You are! You should see yourself right now. You are so wet and dripping on the floor, trying to clean up the water on the floor. I think you should put on some dry clothes before you try to clean up the water," she was still laughing when she said this.

"Oh really? Have you looked in the mirror Miss Honda? I think you are just as wet as I am and because you answered the phone, you probably dripped down the hall too," Hatori was also laughing.

"You're right! We should both get into dry clothes and then we can clean up this mess," she was smiling bigger than he had ever seen her and trying to control her giggles. It wasn't working very well for her though.

"What is this Miss Honda? You are not going to kick me out and tell me that I can't help you clean?" Hatori winked at her.

Tohru started to blush again, "No, I think you can be useful, so you can stay, but only after you get out of those clothes." More giggling ensued.

"Do you have anything I can borrow? I don't have any clothes here and I know Shigure doesn't live here any longer," he said as he started to walk towards her.

"Actually, I think he left a robe or two here. I will go get one for you," she said breathlessly She was going to turn and walk upstairs, but couldn't break eye contact from him.

He was right in front of her now and she was looking up to meet his gaze, "Ok, sounds good." He leaned forward and gave her another small kiss. He pulled back a few seconds later and smiled, "I have wanted to do that for a long time."

"Really?" She asked quietly.

"Really." They stared into each other's eyes for a moment longer before the phone started ringing breaking the moment. They both jumped and laughed.

"Let me answer this and then I will get the robe," she was smiling a dreamy smile and turned away to answer the phone.

He made his way to the bathroom to get each of them a towel to lessen the dripping coming from each of them. He couldn't stop smiling and thinking that this was one of the best days of his life. He was thinking so much about the night's events, he did not hear her approach until she handed him the robe, "Thank you, Tohru. Here is a towel. Who was calling tonight?"

"Oh thanks! As for the phone, the first one was Kisa. She heard I was back and wanted to call and talk. She is supposed to call back tomorrow morning. The second one was Haru telling me that he heard I was back and told Kisa. He and Rin want to come over for a visit day after tomorrow," She laughed recounting the phone calls. "I will be right back," she said as she walked up the stairs. His eyes followed her until she rounded the corner to her room.

He shut the door to the bathroom and proceeded to peel off the wet clothes and dry himself off. Once he was changed, he came out of the bathroom and headed for the laundry room. He figured he could dry his clothes while they were cleaning the kitchen and change back after they were done mopping up the man-made flood.

Tohru came down wearing a pair of jeans and a pink t-shirt with her hair thrown up into a pony tail. He loved the look on her, but he was finding it hard to find a look that he didn't like on her. He laughed at himself. She came into the laundry room and took the wet clothes from him. Throwing them into the dryer on permanent press, she turned around and gave him a quick kiss. Then she grabbed some bath sheets and made her way into the war zone called a kitchen with Hatori following. He was surprised when she kissed him, but he liked the fact that she seemed to want to and didn't have a problem with the intimacy they shared tonight.

As they were cleaning up the mess, Hatori turned to Tohru in order to make his intentions known, "Tohru, I wanted to tell you that I have liked you for a long time and tonight wasn't just about a moment in time for me. I was wondering if you would go on a date with me tomorrow night."

Her eyes got big and were filled with surprise at his request. She smiled, "Yes, I would like that Hatori. I promise not to shoot the water hose at you tomorrow night also." They both laughed at that and continued to clean the kitchen. Both were nervous and excited about the date.


	4. First Date Nerves

Disclaimer: I don't know FB or the characters.

A/N - Thank you for the reviews, I really appreciate them. I hope everyone is enjoying my story. Please read and if you have a chance, review. I like all reviews both good and bad.

Chapter 4 – First Date Nerves

The next day Hatori woke in a good mood and excited for the day to begin. Tonight he would be taking Tohru out on their first day and he was praying it wouldn't be the last with her. He planned on taking her ice skating, then out to dinner, and if there was time and interest maybe a carriage ride. He couldn't wait for tonight.

As he got up and started getting ready to go into the clinic, his thoughts turned to last night. He had never had so much fun with one person and he knew it was because it was her. She brought out something in him and made him feel alive. He could spend the time just talking about their day, cleaning, or having a water fight and it would not matter. As long as he was with her, he was happy.

He arrived at the clinic before anyone else did and started looking at the files of the patients that were scheduled today. He heard the clinic door open and assumed that it was one of his nurses. He ignored the person that was in the front until his heard his office door open and heard the screech of the dog's voice, "Hari, I knew I would find you here."

"Shigure, what do you want?" Hatori asked and then looked at the time. He was shocked that Shigure was even there since it was just coming up on 7:00am. He never got up and was out of the house this early, at least not since all of the kids had graduated high school, "What are you doing up so early? It is only 7 and you look like you have been up for a while."

"Oh Hari, can't you just appreciate an early morning visit from one of your best friends?" Shigure pouted.

"I am busy, so what do you want? Is Akito ok?"

"Yes, she is fine. She is still sleeping. I came because I wanted to ask what you were going to do about Tohru."

"What do you mean?" Hatori wondered what the dog knew. He had never spoken of his feelings for her, so he wasn't sure what Shigure was talking about. True they were best friends (along with Ayame), but it could be that he wasn't aware, so he decided to play dumb.

"Hatori," Shigure started. Hatori knew he was being serious and looked right at him, "I know that you love her. I have known for a long time. I think she has feelings for you also, but I am not sure what they are. Now I ask you again, what are you going to do about it?"

Hatori looked at him and was a little surprised. He thought he had hid his feelings better than that, but when it comes to Shigure, he saw more than anyone ever gave him credit for. He guesses that is why he was able to write the romantic dribble he did and be successful. He decided to be honest with him, "I am taking her out tonight for a date."

"Hari, when did you ask her? Why did I not know about this? Do you need help?"

"I asked her last night after everyone left and I haven't seen you or talked to you since you left the house last night. And finally no, and I mean NO, I do not need help for tonight."

Shigure was proud of his friend. He wasn't sure what happened last night that had convinced the former dragon to ask her, but he couldn't be happier about this turn of events, "Hari, don't be mean. I just want to be sure that you make this night special for her. So what are your plans?"

"None of your business Shigure," Hatori replied. He didn't want him showing up to any of the locations.

"Hari, I want to help. Don't you want to make this memorable? Do something that no one else has done for her?" Shigure prodded. Of course when he said no one else, he meant Kyo since he has been the only other person she has dated.

He had a point. Taking a deep calming breath, he spoke, "Fine Shigure. I planned on taking her ice skating and then to a nice dinner. After that if there is time, a carriage ride through the park. What do you think?" He actually felt a little relieved that Shigure pressured him. The dog knew all about her and Kyo's dates and what they did on the first few of them. He didn't want to repeat what the cat had done and he wanted to make it special, memorable.

"Not ice skating. Although I am sure she would have fun, Kyo and she went ice skating on their second date. Do that with her sometime in the future. Why not do the butterfly gardens instead. It just opened up last year and I think she would love it. Everything else is perfect," Shigure said thoughtfully.

"That is a good idea. I will do that instead. Thank you Shigure."

"You're welcome. Just make sure you give me the scoop tomorrow, and I want all of the juicy details," he said as he got up to quickly leave. He had to dodge a pen, but he made it out of there unscathed.

"That damn dog never changes," Hatori muttered under his breath. He was smiling so he wasn't too upset with his friend. He was actually very grateful to him for his suggestion of the butterfly gardens. He had never been there himself, so this was going to be new and special for both of them.

He made it through the rest of the day without being bothered by Shigure anymore. He was a little surprised that Ayame hadn't called him and started prying information from him. Shigure must have not passed on the information to the snake. He owed Shigure for that. He left the clinic at 3:00 in order to go home and get ready for tonight. It was his normal time to leave, but today he was even more aware of the time than he had been other days. He also didn't always leave on time in the past and made sure his nurse knew he had to be out of there promptly today.

He went home, took a shower, and got ready. He was about to take out his dream girl on what he hoped was a dream date for her. He grabbed the flowers that he picked up on his way home and got in the car to drive over to her house. He had enough butterflies in his stomach; they may not need to see the butterfly gardens. He told himself that this was Tohru and everything was going to be ok. He felt like a school boy that had never been out on a date before.

He quickly arrived at the house and walked up to the door carrying the flowers. He knocked and she answered after only a minute or two. She took his breath away. She was stunning. She was in a pink dress and had her hair curled. She only wore the lightest of make-up and she was the most stunning he had ever seen her. Then he noticed her earrings. She was wearing studs that were seahorses. She had always been the one that accepted the curse without question and had wanted to help regardless of what happened to her, but seeing those earrings made him feel cared for by her. It was something small, but it meant so much. She probably didn't even realize what earrings she put on or what they could possibly mean to him, but that was ok. He loved her that much more for it anyway.

When she answered the door to Hatori, she gasped. He always looked good in his suites, but tonight he looked better than usual in his dark blue suite and black tie. She wanted to make sure she looked her best for their first date, so she wore one of her favorite dresses and put on the seahorse earrings that Shigure had given her for Christmas one year. They had become one of her favorite pairs and tended to wear them a lot after she and Kyo broke up. She was starting to get a little self-conscious with the way he was looking at her, but did admit that she liked the look on his face when she answered the door.

Hatori handed her the flowers and told her that she looked beautiful. She stepped aside to let him in and told him to make himself comfortable. He declined the tea she offered and told him she would be right back. She just wanted to put the flowers in water. She was giddy and excited about the date. She didn't know what he had planned, but she knew that it would be a good night.

She came back into the living room to Hatori flipping through a photo book she had out on the table. She was working on organizing some of her pictures today and putting them in albums. The one he was looking at was the first year she was with the Sohmas. He was smiling at a lot of the pictures. He stopped when he saw a picture of Yuki in a dress and Kyo standing next to him. He remembered the day well. It was the day of the school festival. The first day he had met Tohru Honda in person. He was the one that took that picture and wondered how she had gotten her hands on a copy. All he could think was _"Why did I ever think she was plain?"_ Out loud he asked the question, "How did you get a copy of this picture? I took it for Akito."

She had sat down next to him and knew what picture he was talking about, "She gave me a copy before Kyo and I left. That was an interesting day. Momiji was always up to something and didn't care about what happened, but I was so happy when I got to see his zodiac form. It did freak me out though and I panicked because we were in the middle of school and only a curtain separated us from the others in the class," She laughed at the memory.

"That was also the day I first met you and asked you to come to Sohma house," Hatori said sharing in the memory.

"Yes, it was and the day I went to Sohma house and met with you, was a day that changed a lot of things for me," she said with what looked like a secret smile on her face.

He wondered about that smile, "What do you mean by that?"

"Huh, oh it is nothing. I will tell you another day," She smiled and flipped the page in the book telling him the discussion was over with.

He took the hint and smiled at her, she had changed a lot, but not so much that she wasn't Tohru any longer. He liked the changes in her and was happy that she agreed to go out with him tonight, "Are you ready to go?" She nodded at her question and the book was closed. They walked out of the house and to his car where he opened her door for her and waiting until she got in and then closed it. He got in on his side and said, "Thank you for agreeing to go out with me tonight."

"I wanted to go out with you and was happy when you asked. Where are we going?" She said in response.

"It's a surprise," he said with a knowing smile.

She smiled back and said, "Well let's go then."

With that, he started the car and they drove off to the first destination on their date. When they got to the butterfly gardens she was excited. She had heard about it, but had not been yet. He said that he had not been himself, but wanted to see it.

They walked through the gardens holding hands and looking at all of the flowers and butterflies that were there. She was amazed and laughed when she saw a couple of butterflies land on Hatori's head. He laughed to when they seemed to swarm around her at one point in time. He looked down at her during the swarming and there was a moment where electricity sparked between them. He leaned down and gave her a quick kiss on the mouth and smiled down at her. She was surprised but happy about the kiss, but could not control the blush that swept across her cheeks. After that, they seemed to walk a little more closely together through the rest of the exhibit.

After they left the butterfly gardens, they went to dinner. It was a restaurant that Ayame had mentioned to him on more than one occasion. He wanted to try it and thought that his first date with Tohru may be the best time to do that. It was another something new to try together. This is what this date was about, new beginnings.

They got to the restaurant and Hatori gave his name to the hostess. She showed them to their table and gave them their menus. She was trying to get Hatori's attention, but he couldn't take his eyes off Tohru. Tohru noticed what happened and just smiled. She was happy that she could keep his attention even when other girls were trying to take it away from her. Dinner passed very much the same way lunch had the other day. They sat there for a couple hours talking and eating. When there was a lull in the conversation, the silence was not awkward. It was comfortable, like as long as they were together, it was ok because they were together and they didn't need to fill the silence with drabble.

When they got done with dinner, Hatori looked at the time. It was only 8:30 and there was a park with carriage rides across the street. He looked down at her and she was smiling at him. He couldn't help himself; he leaned down and gave her another kiss. Then he asked if she wanted to join him in a carriage ride, or if she was ready to go home. She decided on the carriage ride with a big smile on her face.

Tohru was having the time of her life on this date. She loved everything about the date and she wasn't ready for the night to end, so when Hatori suggested the carriage ride, she jumped at the chance to have a romantic carriage ride with him.

They walked across the street arm in arm and Hatori talked to the driver of the carriage. After that, they both got in and Hatori wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. She did not object and snuggled into the embrace. Nothing was said during the ride. They were just happy being there with each other. All too soon the ride was over though and it was time to go home.

On the drive home, Tohru not wanting the intimacy to end grabbed Hatori's hand and held it the duration of the ride and when he opened her car door to let her out, she grabbed his hand again. He walked her up to the door and was about to say good night and give her a kiss when she asked if he would like to come in for tea. He could not say no to her.

She went in the kitchen to make the tea and he sat down at the table in the dining room. He opened the photo album once again to where they left off earlier today. As he was looking through the album, he noticed several of him that he did not know had been taken. One of which was a picture of him looking down at the rice ball and laughing at something that was said. She was looking up at him and laughing also. If someone didn't know better, it looked as if they were a couple. He liked the idea that in that picture they were a couple, even when he knew they had not been at that time. He flipped the page.

Tohru came out of the kitchen with a tea pot and two cups for the tea, "Still looking at the photo album? I think all of those pictures were my first and second year of high school."

"I can see that," he said laughing. "I didn't know that I had my photo taken so many times though."

"Yah, you did. If it wasn't me, it was Uo, Saki, or Yuki. I think even Shigure took a few of them. I will show you my favorite picture of you in this album." She flipped back a page and pointed to the picture that caught his attention earlier, "You looked so happy and carefree in this picture. It was taken one night when you came over for dinner. You had looked so serious that night that we all took turns trying to make you laugh. It was the first time I had seen you laugh. I loved the sound of it." She sounded so wistful and happy; he looked at her and saw a different kind of smile for him. It was a smile that he can't remember seeing before on her face.

"I remember that day. It had been a hard day with Akito and then Shigure and Ayame decided to start bugging me. It was a long day. I almost didn't come for dinner, but I figured if I missed it, Shigure would give me a guilt trip and annoy me more. I didn't want to have to deal with him," then softer he said, "And I didn't want to miss seeing you."

She blushed at that and looked into the eye that was not covered by his hair or damaged from an accident when Akito lost her temper, "I was glad you came that night. I think I would have missed you had you not come when I was expecting you to show up." She was just as quiet in her response, but like her, he heard what she said. She moved her hand to brush the hair out of his face. Then leaned up and kissed the injured eye. When she pulled back and looked at him again, she saw such love shining through, she leaned forward when he did and they kissed. It was passionate and held everything they wanted and dreamed, but most importantly it was filled with love.


	5. The Interrogation

Disclaimer… I do not own Fruits Basket or its characters, but I wish I did.

Chapter 5: The Interrogation

After the tea was finished, Tohru escorted Hatori out and went upstairs to bed. She was tired, but in a dreamy frame of mind. She had never felt this way before. Even when she was with Kyo, her feelings were never this strong, then encompassing. How is it that in such a short period of time, she has fallen in love with him? She knew what the feelings were and she didn't question them. She loved Kyo, but looking back on it all, she was never truly **in** love with Kyo. She was in love with Hatori though. What started out as a school girl crush years ago has turned into more. When she was apart from the Sohma family, she missed all of them, but the one that she couldn't stop thinking about was Hatori. She never knew why, but now she believed that the seeds of love were there all along. She will cherish the time she was with Kyo and a part of her will always love him, but he is not who she was intended for and he is not her future. That role belonged to a quiet seahorse that was always there for her.

She went to bed that night and dreamed of him. She dreamed of the future she wanted with him. She dreamed of their lives and how he is the one that completes her. He understands her more than anyone else has ever done. She knew she didn't need him to get through life, but she knew that he wanted her by her side.

In his own house and in his own bed, Hatori was dreaming of Tohru and what he wanted in his life. It was her. He wanted her by his side and he wanted a future with her. He could picture children with dark hair and her blue sapphire eyes. He could picture taking picnics and vacations as a family. Most of all he pictured her there with him through the good and the bad. He was happier tonight than he had been in a long time and he wanted that feeling to remain for the rest of his days.

He was awakened at two in the morning by the phone ringing. Being a doctor, he could not ignore it. "Dr. Sohma," he answered the phone with a groggy voice. He cleared his throat to get some of the sleepiness out of it.

"Hatori! There was an accident and Ayame was injured," Shigure sounded panicked. When he was like this, it was very serious.

Hatori immediately woke up the rest of the way and put on his doctor hat mentally, "Where is he?"

"He is over here. He was not paying attention to where he was going and fell off the porch. He hit his head on the edge of the porch and isn't waking up."

As Shigure was talking, Hatori was getting dressed, "I will be right there." He grabbed his medical bag and added a couple of things to it he might need and ran out the door. He was at Shigure and Akito's house in less than five minutes. He walked in to see Ayame on the couch with his eyes opened. He also had a gash on his head from where he hit the edge of the porch.

Hatori walked up to the couch where Ayame was lying and started to do an examination of the snake, "What exactly happened? You don't normally fall off porches." Hatori was shining a light into his eyes waiting for an answer from someone.

"We were talking about you and Tohru going out on your first date. We had a little bit of sake and Ayame started being…. well Ayame. The porch was a little wet; he slipped and hit his head. He woke up right before you walked in the door. He was out less than 10 minutes." Shigure said quietly. He knew Hatori was probably going to be irritated about the discussion that led to the injury.

"I see," was the only thing Hatori said as he continued his examination. After another few minutes, he looked at Ayame and said very seriously, "You have a concussion and need stitches for your cut. Other than that, you should be ok, but we are going to need to watch you closely, or I can call an ambulance after I stitch you up and they can watch you." He knew which option Ayame would pick. Although, the curse was broken, the former members of the zodiac felt more comfortable when Hatori was in charge and treated them, than an outsider.

"I refuse to go to a hospital Hari and you know it. So get your little needle and start sewing."

Hatori smiled and pulled out everything he would need to stitch up his friend. He would even be nice and use a little needle for the numbing solution on him, but made a mental note to use the biggest needle he had on Shigure the next time he needed a shot.

"So, tell me Hari, how was the date? What did she wear? Was it one of the dresses I gave her? What all did you do? Details Hari, I want details. You know I haven't seen her since she has been back; I need to go out to see her. I don't want her to forget me," Ayame was trying to get answers while Hatori worked.

"Aya, I don't think anyone could forget you," Shigure laughed at his friend. "But come on Hatori, you haven't given us any information on your date."

Hatori had just finished injecting the numbing solution into Ayame's forehead and was waiting for the full effect of the medicine before he started with the stitches, "I am not going to talk about this while I am trying to use a needle on someone. I am sure Aya would rather me concentrate than to be distracted, now wouldn't you Aya." Ayame nodded in agreement with Hatori.

Once the stitches were done and everything was cleaned up, Hatori started packing up his doctor bag to leave. Shigure and Ayame saw this and decided to stop him so that they could get answers. Ayame started, "Hatori as my doctor, aren't you supposed to watch me? Do you really trust this dog, who was also drinking sake?"

Hatori looked at him and shook his head. He knew that they would try to get him to stay so that they could get answers. He really wasn't going to leave Ayame with a concussion and only Shigure to look after him, "Your right." Hatori went into the kitchen to make some tea for the three of them. When he came back out, he was pounced on by both of his best friends. He knew he would have to tell them something in order to get them to back off, but part of him didn't want to share his night afraid it would burst the bubble and he would wake up and realize it was all a dream. He let out a breath and resigned himself to talking, "What do you want to know?"

"Tell us everything. Don't forget the details," Shigure said. Hatori almost believed that he was hunting for his next romance story.

"I picked her up, she wore a pink dress. No Aya, I don't know if it was one of yours. Don't interrupt," he said before his two friends could say anything. They both looked like they were going to speak before he was done telling about the date, "She wore her hair down and curly. We then started to look at a photo album that she was working on from her first and second year in high school. After looking at it for a bit, we left and went to the butterfly gardens. She loved it and it was a nice place. Then we went to that new restaurant you told me about, Aya. We sat and talked and ate. Then we went on a carriage ride at the park across from the restaurant. After that, I took her home and we had some tea. We looked at the album some more. It got late, I left and went home. I went to bed and was woken up by one idiot because another idiot fell off the porch, which brings us to now."

"That's it? Nothing else? Where is the romance? Where is the kiss? Where is the detail?" Ayame whined. Shigure was agreeing with him.

"Maybe that is between her and me," Hatori retorted.

"B-b-bu-but Hari!" Shigure cried, "We are your best friends and as such, you should give us the details!"

"You being my best friends does not entitle you to anything," Hatori said seriously. Then he said, "Fine, ask questions and I will try to answer them." Sometimes, he hated his friends.

Shigure and Ayame looked at each other. Shigure spoke since Ayame looked like he was a bit out of it, "So what happened when you picked her up? What did she look like?"

"I told you. I picked her up and she was wearing a short sleeved pink dress. She invited me inside to wait while she put the flowers I got her into water. She was beautiful and she was wearing seahorse earrings," He smiled at the memory. "I was looking at the photo album while I waited for her. She had a few pictures in there I was surprised at. Like the one that I took of Yuki and Kyo on the day of the school fair the day I met her for the first time. She also had several pictures of me that I didn't even know someone had taken."

Shigure and Ayame looked at each other and then turned to their friend with a knowing look. Shigure said, "What about the butterfly gardens?"

"I didn't tell her what we were doing and she was really excited when we arrived. We walked through the different exhibits holding hands. At one point butterflies were landing on us and swirling around her. She looked wonderful surrounded by them. And before you ask, once we left there, we went to dinner. We sat and talked and ate. When we weren't talking, we were just enjoying each other's company. After dinner I asked her if she wanted a carriage ride or to go home. She chose the carriage ride. We didn't talk at all, but I did have my arms around her and she leaned against me. The carriage ride ended and I drove her home. I was about to kiss her good night when she invited me in for tea and I accepted. We looked through more of the photo album. Then it got late and she was tired, we said good night and I went home. That is it."

"Wow Hari, it sounds like a wonderful first date. Will there be another date in the future?" Ayame asked.

Hatori smiled a wistfully before he answered, "I hope so. I didn't want tonight to end."

"Did you tell her that you love her?" Shigure asked.

"What? No, it was only our first date," Hatori said irritably. He had almost told her several different times tonight, but it was not the right time to be confessing his love for her.

The rest of the night passed with discussion about past memories and plans for the future. When Hatori finally deemed it safe for Ayame to sleep, he gave detailed instructions to Shigure to follow. He went home and called the clinic. He would not be in until later. He needed some sleep himself. Once again he dreamed of Tohru and a future with her.


	6. Confessions

Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket or its characters.

A/N: Well this is the final chapter. I hoped you like my Tohru/Hatori pairing. I know it is not the norm, but was inspired. :) Thank you everyone for reading this story. If you have the opportunity, please review. I appreciate all kinds of reviews, both good and bad.

Chapter 6: Confessions

When Hatori woke up later that morning, he decided it was best to talk to Akito before he went into the clinic. He knew that she had changed a lot and he didn't need to say anything to her, but she was still the head of the family for the zodiacs and he felt he should give her that respect. She probably would not say anything about Hatori and Tohru, but he was worried because the last time he told her that he wanted to marry someone, he almost lost an eye. It still didn't work and he had almost no vision in it beyond cloudy images, but he never blamed her. He was more hopeful this time also since Akito and Tohru had developed a mutual respect for each other and were working on forming a friendship. He also knew that Shigure would be on his side and he would influence Akito.

The walk to their house was a short one. He was nervous and today would help shape the rest of his life. He knew that with or without Akito's blessing, he would pursue Tohru and hopefully she would feel as strongly for him as he did her.

When he got to the house, he knocked and Shigure answered within a few moments, "Hari, are you here to check up on your impossible patient? I have been following your instructions and he is healing under my tender care, but he is in a bad mood and keeps yelling at me. All my sacrifices and hard work…"

Hatori rolled his eyes at his friend and walked in the house, "Yes, I wanted to check up on Ayame, but I also wanted to talk to Akito. Is she up yet?"

Shigure knew what that meant and smiled, "Yes, she is in the garden."

"Hari, Gure is treating me horribly. I wanted sake for the pain and he said I couldn't have any. I said I wanted to get up and go home, and he said I couldn't. Please tell him he needs to be nicer to me," Ayame was complaining from his place on the couch.

Hatori laughed and shook his head, these two never change. He started to examine his friend and everything looked to be ok. He still had the concussion, but the worry period was over. He still needed to take it easy and Hatori thought it was best if he stayed under watch for another day. As he was finishing up his instructions to Shigure and Ayame, Akito walked in from the gardens.

"Hatori, I see you are here checking up on our patient. He has been complaining and Shigure has been giving him a hard time. As you can see, between the two of them, there is no peace," she laughed.

Hatori was still amazed at the change in her since the curse was broken. He knew part of it was from the curse breaking and her not having to bear the worst part of it, but he also knew a bigger part was due to Shigure and his love. "Yes, I wanted to make sure that he hadn't died under Shigure's watchful eye," He teased and laughed. "Also, I needed to talk to you about something."

She looked at him and thought she knew what he wanted to talk to her about. She felt guilty about the first time they had this conversation and this time, she could do what was right for him, "Walk with me then." They left the house and started to walk. They had no particular destination in mind, but with a calm and peacefulness not found in the house at this moment, "So speak. Tell me what is on your mind."

"I love Tohru Honda and I took her out on a date. I know she is the one I want to spend my life with and eventually marry if she will have me. I wanted to let you know my intentions as a respect to you and your position," he started.

He wanted to say more, but Akito spoke before he could, "Good. She is a wonderful girl and she has brought a light to this family we never had before. We owe her much. You have my blessing and my fondest wishes for happiness. I am sorry that I was not able to give that to you before with Kana and that I hurt you physically and emotionally through that."

He nodded to her; he was surprised by her speech, "Thank you for your blessings and apology. I accept both, but you had one thing wrong." Hatori was smiling when he responded.

"Oh, pray tell, what have I been wrong about?"

"She is not a girl; she has grown into a wonderful woman."

Akito laughed, "You are right Hatori."

They walked in silence a few more minutes before Hatori excused himself to go to the clinic. When he arrived, he already had patients waiting for him and a message that Tohru had tried to call him. He wondered why she had not tried his cell phone. He decided to call her back before he started to see his patients, or he may never talk to her until later tonight.

"Hello?" Tohru answered the ringing phone.

"Hello, Tohru. It's Hatori, I just got the clinic and had a message you called."

"Hi Hatori, I was just calling to see if you wanted to get together for lunch, but since you are just getting to the clinic, how about lunch tomorrow? I would invite you for dinner, but I have to work tonight."

"Lunch tomorrow would be great! I came in late because Aya fell off the porch last night and has a concussion. Then I needed to talk to Akito about something. Why didn't you call my cell phone?"

"Is Ayame ok? Does he need anything? I can go check on him if you want me to? What happened? As for calling your cell phone, I thought you would be at the clinic and didn't want to bother you. It wasn't an emergency."

"That snake is fine. You know how Shigure and Aya are when they get together. A lot of sake and stupidity," He laughed. "Apparently, he and Shigure were discussing you and I when he slipped on a wet spot on the porch and fell off. He hit his head and needed a few stitches and had a mild concussion, but he is ok. I am sure he would love the visit. He is staying at Shigure's right now so that he has someone to watch him. Mine is out of town right now, so she isn't there to watch him herself."

She laughed too, "Oh no! I will make sure I go over there for a visit this afternoon. Maybe I should call Yuki to come with me. I know that will cheer him up right away." She was still laughing. He thought she sounded almost evil about that plan, "I will let you get back to work now. Lunch tomorrow, call me later and we can talk about when and where. Ok?"

He was laughing harder at her idea and said, "That might be the best idea I have heard, but then you will have to deal with Shigure, Yuki and Akito when Aya starts to be overly dramatic as usual."

"Hmm, good point. I will let Yuki decide instead of dragging him over there then. Surely Akito can handle Ayame even in his most annoying form. Right?"

"I am not sure," he said, but in his mind he could just picture the scene and it set him laughing again.

"Alright, you have go to get off of her and get to work. I will go see the patient later and make sure everyone is still breathing," Tohru could picture it all also and she couldn't help but laugh some more.

"Ok. I will talk to you later. I lo. I mean good bye." He almost slipped and told her his feelings. She isn't ready for that he chastised himself.

"Good bye Hatori. I hope you have a good day at work." She said quietly and got off the phone. She wondered if he was about to say what she thought he was about to say, and if so, she wished he would have said it.

The rest of the day passed by in a blur and before she knew it work was over with and she was getting ready to head home. She left the office building she was working at, dreading the walk home, when she saw Hatori standing by his car out in front. She smiled and wondered what he was doing there. She did what any normal person would to someone they care about, she ran up to him and wrapped her arms around him knocking him a little off balance. He laughed though and then they kissed each other. When they pulled away from each other, she looked into his eyes and asked, "What are you doing here? Not that I am complaining, but shouldn't you be at home and in bed?"

"Well, I was still up and rain is supposed to move in. I didn't want you walking in a down pour, plus I missed you and wanted to see you," Hatori responded.

"I missed you too. Thank you for picking me up, walking in rain doesn't seem like fun tonight," she said as she gave him another small kiss before stepping out of his embrace. He walked her over to the other side of the car and opened the door for her. Then he got in on his side and started driving to her house. They drove in silence and when they reached the house, Tohru invited him in for tea, "We need to talk about lunch anyway. This will save you a phone call and you get a bonus of being around me in person and not just a voice on the phone."

How could he say no to that argument? He wasn't ready to leave her yet, so he accepted. They walked into the house together and Tohru made her way to the kitchen to make the tea while Hatori sat at the dining room table. He noticed a different photo album on the table. This one had hearts embossed on the cover. He assumed it was an old album from when she and Kyo were together. He couldn't stop himself from looking though. When he flipped the album open, he was surprised to see a picture of him. As he continued to flip through the album, all of the pictures were of him and Tohru or him by himself. "What does this mean?" He asked himself. The album wasn't near full and only had about 7 pages of pictures, but nothing else was filling the pages.

Tohru came out with the tea and saw him looking at the photo album. She hoped he would take the hint because even if she was more self-assured, she didn't know if she could make the first move. She sat down next to him and handed him a cup of hot tea, "I see you found my other photo album."

"Huh? Oh yes, yes I did. Why are there only pictures of me in here?" He said what had popped into his mind before he could censure himself.

"Well, the hearts are a clue and the fact that you and I are going out now. We are going out now, as in boyfriend/girlfriend, right?"

"Yes, we are," he responded with a smile. He liked the sound of that, Tohru was his girlfriend. He looked at her and his breath caught. She was looking back at him and she looked so serene and beautiful, he couldn't hold his feelings back. Between the look and the album, he decided to take a chance. If she wasn't ready, then he would give her time, but he needed to tell her how he felt. He brought his hand up and cupped her cheek and whispered, "I love you Tohru Honda."

Tears came to her eyes as he whispered his confession, "I love you too Hatori Sohma. I think I always have."

He leaned forward and kissed her at her confession. He never thought he would ever be happier than when he first kissed her and she had agreed to go out with him, but he was wrong. He was floating on cloud nine with that confession and before he could stop himself he blurted out, "Marry me!"

She looked shocked. He looked embarrassed. Then she laughed and smiled. She grabbed his face with both of her hands and made him even happier, "Yes, just name the time and place."

The end.


End file.
